Director, Continuous Improvement
: Job Details :

Position: Director, Continuous Improvement

Location: Baltimore(On-site)

Salary: $120,000 to $155,000 per year

FLSA Classification: Exempt

Pharmaron is a global CRO (Contract Research Organization) helping pharma and biotech companies bring new therapies to life. With over 21,000 employees worldwide across 23 locations in the US, UK and China, we support drug discovery through to manufacturing with fully integrated, high-quality services.

We're proud of the impact we make and just last year, we supported over 780 discovery projects, 1,000+ CMC programmes, and 1,000+ clinical trials across all phases. Our teams are involved in everything from small molecules, ADC's, biologics, and gene therapies and we work with more than 3,000 global customers. To learn more, visit www.pharmaron.com.

Job Overview:

The Director of Continuous Improvement will establish and lead our Continuous Improvement (CI) function within Pharmaron CPC. This leadership role is responsible for building the CI department, defining its strategy, and driving operational excellence across our business and clinical operations.

The Director of Continuous Improvement will collaborate closely with clinical, regulatory, quality, and operational teams to streamline processes,enhance protocol execution, reduce variability, and ensure the highest standards of compliance and patient safety. Leveraging methodologies suchas Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen and etc, this role will lead initiatives that improve study start-up, data integrity, cycle times, and overall performance.This position will gradually grow and lead a team of improvement professionals while aligning CI efforts with both regulatory requirements andbusiness strategy.

Additional tasks:

• Establish the Continuous Improvement function within the Phase I Unit, including structure, governance, and strategic roadmap.
• Design and implement operational excellence initiatives that improve efficiency, quality, patient safety, and compliance within early phase clinical trials.
• Hire and develop a CI team over time, scaling capabilities to support growing organizational needs.
• Lead cross-functional improvement efforts across clinical operations, quality assurance, regulatory affairs, laboratory services, datamanagement, and facility operations.
• Identify opportunities to reduce cycle times and protocol deviations while maintaining compliance with GCP, FDA, and other regulatory standards.
• Facilitate root cause analyses and process mapping workshops to address complex operational and clinical challenges.
• Collaborate with Principal Investigators, Research Coordinators, QA teams, and executive leadership to prioritize improvement opportunities
• Develop and monitor KPIs that reflect study performance, patient throughput, regulatory readiness, and process efficiency.
• Integrate CI practices with internal audits, CAPA processes, and quality systems.

What We're Looking For:

• Bachelor's degree or Master's or MBA.in Life Sciences, Healthcare Administration, Engineering, or related field with 10+ years of experience in clinical research, clinical operations, or quality systems.
• 3-5+ years in a senior or director-level improvement leadership role.
• Proven track record of leading continuous improvement initiatives in a regulated environment (clinical research, pharma, CRO, orhealthcare).
• Deep understanding of Phase I clinical trial operations, including study start-up, subject safety, GCP compliance, and data collection.
• Certification in Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, or equivalent process improvement methodologies (Black Belt or higher preferred).
• Experience building or scaling a CI or operational excellence function within a clinical or life sciences setting.
• Strong analytical, facilitation, and change management skills with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization.
• Familiarity with FDA regulations, ICH-GCP guidelines, CAPA systems, and audit readiness best practices.
• Experience in a small or large CRO environment strongly preferred.

Why Pharmaron?

Pharmaron is a premier service provider for the life sciences industry. Founded in 2004, Pharmaron has invested in its people and facilities and established a broad spectrum of research, development, and manufacturing service capabilities throughout the entire drug discovery, preclinical, and clinical development process across multiple therapeutic modalities, including small molecules, biologics, and CGT products. With over 21,000 employees and operations in the U.S., the U.K. and China. Pharmaron has an excellent track record in delivering R&D solutions to its partners in North America, Europe, Japan, and China.

Collaborative Culture: You'll thrive in our inclusive and collaborative environment, where teamwork and innovation go hand in hand. Here, your voice matters, and your contributions make a real impact. Employees Number One and Clients Centered are the core cultural values at Pharmaron. Our culture, which sets Pharmaron apart from other organizations, has evolved from our deep commitment to our employees, partners and collaborators.

Comprehensive benefit package: As part of our commitment to your well-being, we offer a comprehensive benefits package:

• Insurance including Medical, Dental & Vision with significant employer contributions
• Employer-funded Health Reimbursement Account
• Healthcare & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• 100% Employer-paid Employee Life and AD&D Insurance, Short and Long Term Disability Insurance
• 401k plan with generous employer match
• Access to an Employee Assistance Program

How to Apply:

Ready to seize this incredible opportunity? Join us at Pharmaron and be part of a dynamic team driving innovation and excellence in biopharmaceutical research and development. Apply online today!

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